Sunday, October 16, 2016

Kathy's Reflection: "The Gazing Ball"

[I must apologize (again!) for being late with this posting.  I actually finished this quilt about six weeks ago, but encountered tremendous challenges uploading pictures, and getting into the blog.  My sincere apologies......] 


The quilt was designed using an Amy Butler Stencil, green fabric paint, silk fabric, cotton fabric, and lots of glass beads.      As I was designing the quilt, my husband said it looked like a Three-Dimensional "Gazing Ball," and thus it has become this lovely piece !

The stencil was printed onto a piece of somewhat sheer white silk, which was placed on top of the "wrong side" of a gray and white "Leaf Fabric," and batting.   Using the leaf patterns from the fabric, I free-motion quilted these layers using a Madeira 30 wt. variegated thread for the leaves, and Sulky Shimmer thread around the green "petal" structures.  [This was the first layer of the quilt.]

I cut this quilted design into a circle, then using a bright lime-y green Sulky 40 wt. thread, machine appliqued it to another layer of the gray and white Leaf Fabric that had been covered with a shear sparkle-y white fabric.  After layering this rather complex quilt "top" with batting and backing fabric, I free motion quilted all the layers together using a 40 wt. Sulky rayon thread.

The binding is the same leaf pattern fabric; this time, you're looking straight at the fabric which shows all the true colors.   

The final touch was to hand-sew all those lovely silver glass beads around the perimeter of the Gazing Ball.  The beads reflect tremendous amounts of light.  
   

My "Reflection" Quilt demonstrates three depths of the one, simple leaf fabric by using additional sheer fabrics to reflect (or obscure ?)  the fabric in each of the layers.    The silver beads then "reflect" light from all the different light sources in the room.   

 

12 comments:

  1. This is stunning Kathy! Your use of the stenciled silk on top of the leaf fabric is sooo effective and I agree, it looks like a gazing ball floating on top! I must try to use that method - it worked wonderfully. So glad you were able to post!

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  2. Thanks Nedra ! This is one of my favorite pieces, and I loved working on every step of the process.
    Next time we're all together, I definitely need some tutoring on computer - electronic - malfunctions and how to cope with them !

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  3. Just stunning. I wish I could see it in person. What a beautiful way to show reflection.

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  4. Wow! I really like the colors as well as the thought process you chose.

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  5. Very beautiful! Definitely want to see this in person as I'm sure pictures don't do it justice.

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  7. The comments above are all ones I agree with! Can't wait to see it in person.

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  8. A gorgeous quilt Kathy. You must teach the rest of us how to do this at our retreat. Just beautiful!

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  9. Your innovative layering techniques and quilting create such depth. It is a wonderful quilt!

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  10. Such a pretty quilt! Fascinating how you used the layers to give the quilt it's depth.

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  11. I am so inspired by your techniques and the finished piece. I have not delved into creating depth by using sheers - I think I have been intimated by the process; but I will be trying this. the beading really sets it apart, I need to see this piece in person.

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  12. Very nice...and beading too! Great.

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